Improved cotton-press and feeder



@utter 'tatrs latrat @frn -HENR'Y ZELL NER, OF COLUMBIA, TENNESSE E.

` Latem Patent No. 69,887, daad embers, 1867;

.IMPBOVED COTTON-PRESS 'A .ND FEEDER.

dlp Srprnle trams tu in tips: rttrrs, lntcnt mit making wat nf tlg: sans;

TO ALL WHOM 'IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HENRY ZELLNER, of Columbia, in the county of Maury, and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and combined CettonIressand Feeder; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in whichl Figure 1 is .a .front elevation of my invention` Figure 2 is aside elevation of the same, a portion of the wall being removed, to show the interior construction of the apparatus.

Y, Similar letters of'referencc indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

In vthis invention the ginned cotton is fed to the machine through a chute, in which it is cleaned from dust. It is then forced into the press under the lfollower, which presses it to the bottom of the tube, where it is held down by a nevel device, while the follower returns for a second tube-full.v This process is repeated till the bale is completed. ,i

In order that others skilledv in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to make and use the same, Iwill proceed to describe it in detail. l

In the drawings, A represents the chute into which' the cotton is received after passing through the gin, and which conducts it to the chamber B. The bottom of the chute may be made of parallel bars, or may be foraminated, to allow the escape of the dust. The cotton will be forced through the chute against the top of the chamber B with considerable violence, and I makeithis top B of bars or a forminated plate, to permit the further escape of the dust at this point. The cotton, comparatively freed from dust by' this process, will drop to the bottom of the chamber B, and come in contact with two feed-rollers, C C', operated by the power that drives the gin, by which it will bc driven into the vertical press-tube D, through the chute E. The feed-rollers C C may be made with teeth or ilutings, or smooth, as may bo desired, and one may be operated by the motion of the other, by means of any of the devices hitherto employed 'for connecting the motion of parallel feed- Arollers.l The follower G, closely ttingthe inside of the tube, is operated by the toggle-joint lever F. An arm,

F', projects out from either elbow of this lever, having a cord or chain, II, attached to its extremity, and passing around the shaft I, `one of the cords winding lunder andl the other over the shaft, so that the revolutions of the shaft shall either wind or unwind bqthdcords at the same time. V.A horizontal beam, K, is attached at its centre to thc'upright frame L L of the machine, and is provided with a pulley, Z Z, uit each end. nothcr cord 0r chain, II', proceeds from' the extremity of 1each of the arms F' F', passing overl the pulleys l l, and being attachgto the shaft I in the manner in .which the other set of cords II H is attached to the cords II II', extending outward from either sidevovf the shaft I,-,onc winds over and one under` the shaft, so that While the shaft is revolving in one direction, the cords 'II II shall elevate the arms F' F', and depress the follower, and when the motion of the shaft is reversed, the cords II II' shall .depress the arms F' F', and raise the follower. The shaft I is operated by the power that drives the gin, applied either by means 0f the pulley I' or in any other way that muy prove convenient and practicable. The motion et' the shaft may be reversed by any of the known devices for reversing circular motion.

I described above the progress of the cotton t-ill it lentered. the 'press-tube .through the chute E. At this point the follow-block G is elevated so that the cotton is fed into the tube under it. When a sufficient amount has been lforced into the tube, the action of the feedrollers C C'Iis arrested, either by the operator or by aselfacting apparatus for the purpose, and the motion of the shaft I is reversed, causing the follower to descend through the tube D, forcing all the cottonv in it to the bottom. Y y

' M represents the door of the 4pressxupon which'the bale is made up; It is provided with a. raised bed, N,

composed of parallel piecesh an fastened-across the flo'erdirectly under the tube VD, upon which the bottom cloth of the bale-cover isspread before the operation 'is begun, The cotton is forced down through the tubc 4upon this bottom-clothg-lyithe process above described, and is held there while the follow-block is returning for another charge by means of the hi'ngedcatches "or pawlsgeb o. These pawls work in slots in the walls of the tube D around itsIoWerIcxtremity, andarejso formed and hung that when free they project into the tube, butv yield before the descendingcotton anda'llofw it to pass down,'nstantly resuming their position, however, when the cotton has passed them, preventing its return up the tube. Notchcs or slots gg g are provided in the sides of the follow-block, in number and position corresponding to these pawls, into which the pawls will freely drop when the block reaches a position in the tube opposite to them. rl'he pawls may be formed so as to drop into these notches by the force of their gravity, which is the construction shown in the drawings, or they may be provided with springs, which will force them into the notches. I do not intend to limit myself to the use of these pawls at the bottom of a vertical tube, -but may use them at the top of such a tube in presses where the cotton is forced upward, or in horizontal tubes, where the press works in that manner. I claim their use in any form of tube placed in any position, and at any part of the tube. I P' P are cross-beams, connecting parts ofthe frame L L. It will bc observed that between the upper beam P and the top of the vertical tube D is a narrow space, Q. This is designed for the admission ofthe upper cloth of the bale as the follower is prepared to carry the last charge down the tube. The motion of the shaft I is usually reversed before the bottom of thc follow-bloel has reached the top of the tube D, so that no cotton can escape through the space Q. But the last time that the follower is raised in making up u. bale, the operator must allow it to risc slightly above thc top of the tube, so that the upper bale-cloth can be inserted.

A press of this construction may be operated horizontally, as well as vertically, if it be desired to use a horizontal press.

Over the foraminated cover B a funnel-shaped flue may be provided, which will condu'ct away thc cotton dust, and thus obviate one great inconvenience in the use of cotton-presses and gins in buildings. It will be observed that my togglejoint lever exerts its greatest power just where it is most needed, as the follower is approaching the bottom of thc tube where the compressed cotton offers the greatest resistance. At the upper part of the tube it gives the follow-block less power but greater velocity. Springs S S may be provided in connection with either of the rollers C C', to allow them to adjust themselves to any unusual pressure of the material feeding between them. It will be observed that these rollers seize the cotton and draw it from the chamber B, forcing it with great power into tho press, thus operating to clear the chamber B as well as to feedv the press. Mechanism can easily be attached which will stop the motion ofthe rollers C C', and renew it again at exactly the proper point, without the intervention of the assistant workman; but as two workmen must always be employed about any cotton-giu, who will have plenty of leisure to attend to changing the motion of the rollers and of the shaft I, I have not deemed it necessary to show such mechanism in this application. I would suggest, however, that as the follower reaches the end of its upward motion, a pin projecting from it or its operating levers could be made to throw into gear a set of' cog-wheels or a belt, communicating motion to the feed-rollers; and as it started to descend again, a similar device could operate to throw the cog-wheels or belt out of gear, so as to prevent the cotton from being fed abovo the follow-block. Such devices for starting and arresting motion are common in other machines, and I desire to be at liberty to attach any of them to my cotton-press, if I should wish to do so, for thc purpose indicated. The chamber B that receives 'the cotton from the giu is to be of sutlicient size to receive and hold all the cotton ginned, while the follow-block is ascending and. descending. The cotton will be fed into this chamber from the gin slowly, in comparison with the speed of its delivery through the feed-rollers into the press. Its capacity and the speed of all the parts are to bc so adjusted that it shall be nearly filled during the descent and ascent of the follow-block, and shall be emptied with great speed, while the follow-block is stationary for a moment at the upper part of thc tube D.

But little power will be required to work this machine, and it can be derived from the engine which works the gin without interfering at all with the operation of the latter.

The tube D lnay bc made exceedingly short in my improved press, and the Whole apparatus bc thus reni dercd light and portable, and be adapted for use in buildings that would not admit the old press with its high tube. The device of the pawls, above explained, enables me to dispense altogether with the great length which it was necessary to give the tube in the old presses, in order to prevent the return of the cotton after the ascending follow-block. My press, it will be seen, accomplishes in a simple and effectual manner what was endeavored to be but never wasl accomplished in the old press by the long tube, and gives us a simple, neat, and compact machine, instead of the clumsy and inconvenient apparatus hitherto employed. When the press is employed for compressing substances having a long fibre, such as hay, &c., which may be done at any time by simply removing the foramiuated cover B', and feeding through the top of the chamber B, a blade having a sharp cuttiuglower edge ma-y be attached to or fixed so as to be operated by a pin upon' the side of the followblock next to the chamber B, and arranged so that at cvery descent of the follow-block it will sever thc libres at the mouth of the chute E.

IIaviug thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. I claim the triangular chamber B. situated betweclfthe chute A and thc press, arranged as and for thc purpose above described.

2. I claim the arrangement of the foraminated cover B, in connection with tho chamber B and chute A, in a hay or cotton-press, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. I claim the combination of the shaft I, cords or chains Il lI, and toggle-joint lever F, with the pulleys ll, working at the end of tho fixed beam K, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. I claim the use of thc pawls o 0 o. substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. I claim the arrangement of the chute A, chamber B, rollers C C, lcver F, block G, tube D, and pawls o 0 o, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' lo the above specification of my improvement l have signed my hund this 2d day of Julyq 186i.

Witnesses:

Cuirs. A. Perrrr, Seton C. Kanon. 

